The longer you use anything \u2014 your Mac included \u2014 the more cluttered it gets. One solution is to simply upgrade to a new machine, but the more economical (and environmentally-friendly) move is to make what you have work better. To help your computer feel like new, or at least cleaner and less chaotic, we put together this guide with techniques and useful apps that have helped us maintain a more civilized computer. From a physical cleaning to a hard drive spruce-up and tab management ideas, here\u2019s how to clean and organize your Mac.<\/p>\n
How to clean your Mac\u2019s screen and body<\/h2>\n
While there are a lot of products you can buy that are specially made to help you with cleaning your computer, I\u2019ve found the simplest approach works best \u2014 and it\u2019s the one Apple recommends<\/a>. To start, all you\u2019ll need is some water in a spray bottle and a clean microfiber cloth. You can use either regular or distilled water. The advantage of the latter is that it\u2019s far less likely to leave any residue on your Mac, particularly on the display. You can buy distilled water at a grocery store or make it yourself<\/a> with some simple cookware. Either way, it\u2019s more affordable than dedicated cleaning solutions and more versatile. If you don\u2019t already own any microfiber cloths, Amazon sells affordable 24-packs<\/a> you can get for about $14.<\/p>\n Two other products I\u2019ve found that can make the job easier are Whoosh<\/a> screen cleaner and a Giottos Rocket Blower<\/a>. I can\u2019t say enough good things about the latter. It will save you from buying expensive and wasteful cans of compressed air.<\/p>\n As for the process of cleaning your Mac, the most important tip to remember is to start with a clean cloth (that\u2019s part of the reason we recommend buying them in bulk). You\u2019ll save yourself time and frustration this way. Begin by turning off your computer and unplugging it. If you went out and bought a Rocket Blower, use it now to remove any dust. If not, take a dry microfiber cloth and go over your computer. Take special care around the keys, particularly if you own a Mac with a butterfly keyboard<\/a>.<\/p>\n Next, dampen one side of your cleaning cloth with either water or Whoosh. Never spray any liquid directly on your computer. You\u2019ll have more control this way and you\u2019ll avoid getting any moisture into your Mac\u2019s internals. I always clean the display first since the last thing I want to do is create more work for myself by transferring dirt from some other part of my computer to the screen. The last step is to buff and polish your computer with the dry side of the cloth. Be gentle here as you don\u2019t want to scratch the screen or any other part of That\u2019s it. Your Mac should be looking clean again.<\/p>\nHow to organize your hard drive<\/h2>\n